Housebuilder has left out the utility room

[classybird]

Basically we reserved our new build house in June and requested that the downstairs be built in the old style (ie with a utility room next to the kitchen) as opposed to the new style (without a utility room.) A member of the sales team at the site phoned the builder to make sure that they would be able to do this before we decided to reserve the house and they also clearly wrote instructions for it to be built in the old style on the original sales order form (at the time of reserving the plot.)

We have just found out that they have built the wrong style kitchen without a utility room. This has just come to light as we were getting some quotes from them for doing our kitchen & utlity room flooring and tiles etc.

Basically they are refusing to put it right due to the cost, however we specifically wanted it that way so that we could put a catflap in the utility back door & also put the washing machine & drier in there.

We have already paid a 10% deposit 6 weeks after reserving the plot and have also exchanged contracts. The house will not be ready for another 5 months. Presumably if we pull out we should be entitled to getting all of this back as they have effectively broken their side of the contract by not building the house the correct way & refusing to put it right. Alternatively we could see if they would give us a different plot and build it the right way this time.

Has anything similar happened to anyone else?

[classybird]

A quick update for anyone who is interested:

The builder ended up putting in our utility room after all!
Our solicitor had a look at the contract and suggested we may have had a case for misrepresentation so maybe they realised the error of their ways - who knows!

This has made me determined to get a professional snagger in now!

classybird